Method and apparatus for forming parcel handles



F. H. MEYER July 4, 1939.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PARCEL HANDLES Filed Aug. 2, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

July 4, 1939. F. H. MEYER 2,354,935

} METHOD AND APPARATUS FOB FORMING PARCEL HANDLES Filed Aug. 2, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 2 39 ATTORNEY.

4, 1939. V F. H. MEYER 2,164,935

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PARCEL HANDLES Y Filed Aug. 2, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 3 F' li-fi ull m' 102 1 2 H INVENTOR. I I l I r" L J'IIIIIHHI y A/ BY ATTORNEX F. H. MEYER July 4-, 1 93&

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING PARCEL HANDLES Filed Aug. 2, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 4 i513 A TTORNEY.

Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR FORMING PARCEL HANDLE S Application August 2, 1937, Serial No.156,962

ll Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming parcelhandles of the gummedpaper type and particularly that type of handledisclosed in a copending application of Woodford s F. Harrison entitltedParcel handle, Serial No.

135,495, filed April '7, 1937.

The handle disclosed in the said copending application comprises a bodymember formed of an elongated strip of gummed paper and a lo reinforcedpaper bail member. The body member is perforated, and the ends of thebail member extend through the perforation, terminating on the gummedsurface to which they are secured through the medium of the gum thereon.

13 Preferably, a reinforcing paper strip extends transversely of thebody member on the gummed surface thereof adjacent the perforation tostrengthen the same and distribute the strain of the narrow bail memberthroughout the entire 90 width of the body member.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method andapparatus for efficient quantity production of such parcel handles.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method wherebymaterials for the body member, the bail, and the reinforcing strips ofsuch a handle, supplied in continuous lengths or rolls, may be formedinto handles, and to provide mechanism operating automatically to leadsaid ,1 materials from supply rolls, out, perforate and combine themrapidly and efficiently.

One form of the invention is exemplified in the accompanying drawingsand described in detail in the following specification wherein furtherob- 35 jects and advantages of the invention are made apparent.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying myinvention, and constructed to manu- 4n facture parcel handles accordingto my method;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of a portion of themechanism shown in Fig. l for applying reinforcing strips to the parcelhandle;

45 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same mechanism taken on line IIIIIIof Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 to 12, inclusive, are enlarged detail views of the portions ofthe mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 for receiving the bail member of thehandle forming it into the shape of a U or staple, and projecting itsends through perforations in the body member of the handle;

Fig. 13 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 1, but

with the major portion of the supporting plate and operating mechanismof the machine removed to disclose the drive means and connectionsbetween the same and the several driven units of the machine and also todisclose the structure of a cam which operates the bailforming members;and

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a handle formed by the machine.

Referring first to Fig. 14 of the drawings, a typical handle constructedby the machine is shown as comprising a body member ID of gummecl papertape, and a bail member I I formed of a strip of suitable flexiblematerial such as folded reinforced paper tape. The body member isperforated as at ill by U-shaped slits to produce tabs which may beforced away from the plane of the body member by the projection againstthem of the ends of the bail member ll. The extreme ends l3 of the bailmember, after having been forced through the perforations 12, are bentagainst and glued to the under gummed surface of the body member l0.Reinforcing strips M of durable paper, preferably gummed on one side,are secured transversely of the body member Ill adjacent theperforations l2, and preferably before the bail member has beeninserted.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the gummed paper tape In ofwhich the body members of the handles are to be formed, is shown ascarried on a roll l5 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft It. A bracketll, extending upwardly from the roll It, carries a flexible fabric tape8 with a weight If! at its lower end causing it to frictionally engagethe roll 55 and prevent imdesired rotation of the roll I5 but permit itto rotate as the tape is drawn from it. From the roll I5, the paper Inis laid over a guide plate which is in the form of an angle-shapedbracket secured to the main plate 2| which serves as a common supportfor the several mechanisms hereinafter to be described. A pair of pins22 projecting upwardly from the plate 2ft guide and slidably support aweight 23 which acts as a friction brake to provide further resistanceto the feed of the tape from the roll 15.

From this point the tape passes over an idler roller 24 and then througha driven cam 25 which will be referred to as a wetting cam carried on adriven shaft 2'5. The radius of the cam 25 is such that the lower orgummed surface of the tape I0 is normally spaced a slight distance abovea wick 21 which has its lower end depending into a water reservoir 28.The reservoir 28 is pivotally supported with relation to the main plate2| by means of a pin 29 and is provided with an adjusting screw 30 torotate it about its pivotal support 29 and thus vary the distanceexisting between the upper end of the wick 21 and the lower surface ofthe tape l0. cam 25 contact the tape III as the cam is rotated, and thespeed of rotation of the cam is so timed with relation to the movementof the tape that these lobes force the tape downwardly into contact withthe wet wick 21 at intervals which will cause the gum of the tape to bewetted for reception of the reinforcing strips l4, shown in Fig. 14.

After the tape has been moistened for reception of the reinforcingstrips 4, it passes between a knife-carrying roller and a roller 36,both of which are positively driven, and the details of construction ofwhich are best illustrated in Fig. 4. The knife-carrying roller 35 isdriven by a shaft 31, and the roller 36 is driven by a shaft 38.U-shaped knives indicated at 39 are recessed into the peripheral surfaceof the roller 35 and have cutting edges projecting therefrom to engageand out the perforations |2 in the paper tape as it passes over theroller 36. It is desirable, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings,that the roller 36 be provided with bronze or other relatively softinserts 40 at the point where it is contacted by the knives 39 so thatthe action of the knife against this roller will not tend to dull itscutting edge.

After the perforations have been cut in the paper I0, it is led aroundand over the top surface of the roller 36, and as it passes the top mostpoint of this roller, a strip of reinforcing paper is pressed againstit, this strip being applied intermittently and its application beingtimed so that it is deposited upon that portion that has been wetted bythe wick 21. Reinforc ing strips are fed from a continuous lengthcarried by a reel illustrated at 42 in Fig. 1, and the mechanism forfeeding the strips, for cutting them to proper length and pressing themagainst the wetted surface of the gummed paper tape is illustrated indetail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

The tape l4 of which the reinforcing members of the handles are formed,and which is carried on the reel 42, is shown in Fig. 3 leading upwardlyover an idler roller 45 carried at the outer end of a bracket 46 whichextends outwardly from the face of the plate 2|. A friction brake in theform of a spring finger 41 presses the tape |4 downwardly against aguide block 48 and frictionally resists the intermittent feeding of thistape, which is accomplished by its passage between a rubber-faced idlerroller 49 and a driving roller 50. The driving roller 50 has two raisedportions 5| on its periphery with roughened surfaces so that uponrotation of the roller 56, which is positively driven by shaft 52, thesurfaces 5| will intermittently engage and feed the tape by pressing itagainst the resilient surface of the idler roller 49.

The tape I4 is then guided between the top and bottom guide plates 53and 54, respectively, and as it leaves the inner end of the guide plate53, it is held against the lower surface of the same by means of aspring finger 55, This intermittent feeding of the reinforcing tape l4causes its free end to be projected to a position overlying theuppermost surface of the roller 36 and underlying a presser plate 56.The presser plate 56, as best illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, iscarried by a lever arm 51 which is pivotally sup- Spaced lobes 3| on thewetting ported on a bearing member 58 by means of a pin 59. A spring 60normally urges the presser plate 56 downwardly, and it is held upwardlyagainst the tension of the spring 60 by means of a finger 6| whichcarries a pin 62 contacting the periphery of a cam 63 positioneddirectly behind the roller 36 and rotatable therewith. This cam 63 hasperipheral depressions 64 into which the pin 62 drops as it rotates topermit the presser plate to snap downwardly against the paper tape ID asit passes over the roller 36. The outer edge of the presser plate 56 isof hardened steel and cooperates with a blade 66 to shear the tape l4and thus separate from the main supply thereof that portion which hasbeen positioned between the roller 36 and the presser plate 56. A springfinger 61 maintains the sheared strip of the tape I4 against the lowersurface of the presser plate as it is moving downwardly, and until itcontacts the wetted portion of the tape ID to which it is to be secured.

The gummed tape I0 is moving continuously as the reinforcing strip isapplied to it so there is a tendency for the strip to slip or skid as itengages the tape. This is particularly true due to the fact that the gumon the tape is Wet and because the moisture applied to the tape may beslightly greater at some times than others. Furthermore, re-moisteninggums such as are commonly used vary in their characteristics to theextent that some are more slippery when wetted than others. In order toprevent slipping of the reinforcing strips and insure their adherence tothe tape ID in the proper place and position the means presently to bedescribed are provided. At the points on the periphery of the roller 36where the reinforcing strip is to be applied by the presser plate 56,this roller is provided with sharp pins 10 (see Figs. 3 and 4) whichextend radially of the roller and are secured therein by means of setscrews. The points of the pins 1|] project outwardly to pierce the papertape l0 and to project into the reinforcing strip as it is pressedagainst the paper tape I6 and thus prevent the strip from skidding orslipping out of position. The lower surface of the presser plate 56 isprovided with recesses II to prevent damage to the ends of the pins 76,and the roller 35 is provided with peripheral grooves 13 which alsoregister with the pins 10 to prevent damage to their points as they passthis roller.

In order to secure a good shearing action between the outer edge of thepresser plate 56 and the knife 66, a spring 15 (see Fig. 2) is carriedin a tubular housing 16 at the back of the main plate 2| and is pressedby a screw 11 forwardly and into contact with the rear surface of thelever 51, tending to urge that lever outwardly on its pivotal support59. The bearing member 58 through which this pivot 59 extends projectsdownwardly from an angle plate 18 secured to the main plate 2|.

After the reinforcing strips have been applied, the tape l0 passes overa large idler drum 19. In passing over this drum, a slight pressure isapplied to the reinforcing strips, and time is permitted for the gumbeneath them to dry or set so that they will be securely held in theirproper position on the tape. Contacting the tape as it leaves the drum19 is a rubber-surfaced pressure roller 60 rotatable on a shaft 8| toapply a final pressure desirable to insure firm adherence of thereinforcing tape.

The tape then passes over an idler 82 carried in a yoke 83 which issupported for vertical adjustment in a bracket 84 so that the length ofthe tape passing between the drum I9- and the point where the bails areapplied thereto may be varied to synchronize the position of theperforations in the tape with the bail-inserting mechanism.

Next the tape passes through a wetting mechanism comprising a driven cam85 carried by the shaft 91. A wick 89 depends into a reservoir 89 andthis wetting mechanism is identical to the one shown at 28, but isdesigned to wet areas extending centrally and longitudinally of the taperather than transversely of the tape, as this wetting is done inpreparation for the application to the tape of the bail members, theends of which are secured by the wetted gum to the gummed surface of thetape as illustrated in Fig. 14.

After the tape leaves the wetting mechanism, it passes around theperiphery of the bail-forming and bail-inserting drum which is generallyindicated at 99, and which serves the purpose, as will presently bedescribed, of shaping the bails and projecting their ends through theperforations in the tape I9 so that they may be secured thereto by meansof the moistened gum.

The tape II from which the bails are to be formed may be, of course, ofany flexible durable material, but the tape illustrated in the presentinstance is that referred to in the above mentioned copendingapplication. This tape comprises a paper strip.gummed on one side andhaving its edges folded inwardly to embrace a pair of reinforcing twinesand to abut each other at the center of the gummed surface, The tape IIis carried on a reel 9| provided with a weighted friction tape 92similar to the weighted tape I8 heretofore described. The tape II is ledfrom this reel between an idler 93 and a rubber-surfaced idler 94. Aknife-carrying roller 99 cooperates with an idler 91 against which aknife 98 acts to sever the tape II as it passes between roller 96 andidler 91. The roller 96 is positively driven on a shaft 99 so that thetape is severed at predetermined intervals and separate lengths thereofare projected downwardly alongside the bail-forming drum 99.

These lengths of bail strip II are received by the bail-forming headsgenerally indicated at I99, six of which are provided in thebail-forming drum, and each piece is shaped by them into a staple, theends of which are projected through the perforations of the tape. Theconstruction of the heads and the manner in which they operate to form abail is best illustrated in Figs. 5 to 12, inclusive.

Each of the heads I99 comprises a block I9I mounted for reciprocatingmovement radially of the drum 99. The block I9I, as illustrated in Fig.8, has grooved sides which embrace a pair of parallel guide members I92,and has an inwardly extending pin I93 carrying at its inner end a rollerI94 riding between cam tracks I95 (see also Fig. 13). The cam tracks I95are shaped to impart a desired reciprocal movement to the block I9I asthe drum 99 is rotated by its shaft I96. The block I9I reciprocateswithin a rectangular box, the side walls of which are cast as at I91 onthe forward face of the drum 99.

As a piece of the bail tape II is severed, it occupies a positiontangent to the drum 99 at the extreme left-hand side thereof, as viewedin Fig. 1, and directly opposite the outer end of one of thebail-forming heads I99. In this position of a head I99, the block I9Ithereof has been advanced outwardly by its roller I94 and the cam tracksI95 until its outer face is approximately flush with the periphery ofthe drum 99, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Spaced brackets I98 at the forward end of the block I9I carry a bearingpin I99 upon which is rotatably mounted an elongated block I I9 ofrectangular cross-section and having a notch III formed in one cornerthereof. This block II9 carries a U-shaped gripper finger II2 (see alsoFig. 8) which cooperates with the forward face of the block II to graspand retain the bail tape I I at approximately the instant that it issevered from the main supply by means of the knife 98. The gripperfinger H2 is held in. either its open position or its closed position bymeans of a spring II4 supported on a post H5 at the inner end of theblock IM and engaging with the notch III in a manner to exert pressureagainst the rotatable block II9 either above or below a line passingthrough its center of rotation so that the finger I I2 may be snappedeither to its open or closed position against the tension of the springH4 and retained in either position by the same spring. A pin IIBprojecting from the inner end of the block II9 strikes against the blockI9I, as llustrated in Fig. 5, to limit the opening movement of thegripper finger H2, and the closing movement thereof is limited by theengagement of the finger with the tape II positioned against the forwardface of the block I9I.

As theb lock I9I slides outwardly to the position of Fig. 5, therotatable block II9 engages the bent end of a rod H8 carried by a lugII9 on a bracket I29, which bracket spans the head member and is securedto the front face of the drum 99 by means of screws I2I. This causes thefinger II2 to close against the tape II, as illustrated in Fig. 7, andas the drum 99 continues in its rotary movement, the block I9I isretracted by means of its roller I94 and the cam tracks I95, and theends of the tape member II are drawn into the box formed by the sidewalls I91 so that the tape is caused to assume the shape of a staple asillustrated in Fig. 10.

While the bail member is being thus grasped and formed into the shape ofa staple, the head I99 by which it was originally received has movedfrom its position at the left-hand side of the drum in Fig. 1 to aposition approximately at, the bottom of the drum where the perforatedhandle tape I9 is stretched across its outer face, the shape of the camtracks I95 then causes the block I9I carrying its U-shaped staple to beadvanced outwardly, and during this outward movement the ends of thebail tape II are projected through the perforations in the tape I9 asshown in Fig. 11 a sufiicient distance to permit of their being bentover and secured to the wetted gum on the under surface of the handletape.

At this point, a resilient finger I22 carried by a bracket I23 whichspans the head member and is secured thereto by means of screws I24,engages an upstanding ear I25 of the gripper finger H2 and rocks thisfinger to its open position, thus releasing the bail member I I andpermitting it to be carried away from the drum 99 as the handle tape I9subsequently leaves the drum.

As the bail strip is drawn into the space between the walls I9'I whichimpart to it its staplelike shape, there may be some tendency for itsends to curl inwardly toward each other and away from these walls. Toobviate this tendency and maintain sufficient rigidity of the bail stripto enable it to be forced readily through the perforations I2 of thebody member, it is guided in its movement along the walls I01 by fingerI30. The fingers I30 are pivotally connected by screws I3I to the wallsI01, and are connected together by a bridge I32. A spring I33 supportedon the bracket I20 engages the bridge I32 to urge the outer ends of thefingers I 30 to their guiding position as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 11.The fingers I30 are spaced from the walls I01, a distance approximatelythe thickness of the bail strip I I so that this strip may be slidablyreceived between the fingers and the walls. Short pins I34 (see Fig. 10)are carried by the fingers I30 to engage the upper edge of the bailstrip and prevent any undesired movement thereof in the plane of thewalls I01. When the block IOI moves outwardly to release the bail andreceive a new strip to be formed into a bail, its forward or outer edgeengages the fingers I 30 which are inclined downwardly at their outerends, and lifts them out of their guiding position, as illustrated inFigs. and 7. As the block I 0| recedes, the spring I33 urges the fingersback to their guiding position so that they embrace and guide the endsof the bail strip as it is being pulled into the space between the wallsI01. After the bail has been formed by one of the heads I00, the forwardmovement of the block IOI causes the ends of the bail strip to beprojected outwardly through the perforations of the body member I0, asillustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, and this occurs when the head I00 is atapproximately the lowermost point of its circular path of travel.

Of the two ends of the bail strip which are projected, one must be bentforwardly with respect to the path of travel of the drum 90 so that itmay be pressed against the wetted gum of the tape I0, and for the samereason, the other must be bent rearwardly. The means for bendingforwardly one of the ends of the bail member are shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings where a sleeve I36 is illustrated as mounted on a rotatableshaft I31. A rod I38 is slidably mounted in the sleeve I36, and thesprings I39 interposed between the ends of the sleeve I36, and heads I40carried by the ends of the rod, tend to centralize the position of therod and to resist its sliding movement through the sleeve I36 in eitherdirection. The heads I40 carry small metal wipers MI and resilientpressure rollers I42. The rotation of the shaft I31 in the direction ofthe arrow at is so timed with relation to the movement of the drum 90that when the ends of the bail members are projected through the tape I0to extend radially outwardly from. the drum 90, the first of these endsis engaged by the wiper I4I to bend it in the direction of travel of thedrum 90. toward the wetter spot on the gummed surface of the tape I0.

The roller I42, which immediately follows the wiper MI and which servesas a resilient pressure member due to the sliding mounting of the rodI38 and the pressure of the springs I39, presses the end of the bailmember against the wetted spot where it remains until it passes under astationary guide and wiper I43 and then under a belt I44 which followsthe periphery of the drum throughout about one-quarter of itscircumference to hold the end of the bail member against the wetter spotduring drying of the gum. The second projecting end of the bail memberwhich is illustrated at I 45. in Fig. 1 is unaffected by either of therollers I42, but is bent rearwardly by the plate I 43 just before itenters beneath the belt I 44.

The belt I44 leads over drums I41, I48 and I49, and an adjustabletightening roller I50, and is thus held in firm contact with theperiphery of the drum 90, the tape I0 and the ends of the bail memberspassing between the drum 90 and the belt I 44 to insure proper adherenceof the ends of the bail member to the wetted gum of the tape. The drumsI48 and I40 are carried by driven shafts I52 and I53 respectively,rotation of these shafts being timed to cause the belt to travel at thesame rate of speed as the drum 90 so that it follows the periphery ofthe drum and does not slip or slide thereon to result in disturbance ofthe members being dried.

A rubber-faced pressure roller I 54 is preferably mounted to bearagainst the inner surface of the belt I44 at the point where it leavesthe drum 00, and thus supplement the pressure of the belt itself andfurther insure adherence of the ends of the bail member.

The tape I0 with the completed bail member secured thereto follows thebelt I44 over the drum I48. The bail members which then project upwardlyfrom the top surface of the tape I0 in the form. of a rectangle arefolded or laid fiat against the surface of the tape 50 by means of astationary wiper plate I56 under which they pass. A rubber-facedpressure roller I51 bearing directly against the drum I49 impartssufficient pressure to crease the material of the bail members andretain them in their fiat folded position.

The handle members which are now completed as they leave the machine maybe fed into any suitable mechanism for rolling them, folding them, orcutting them apart, depending upon the type of dispensing mechanism inwhich they are eventually to be contained. In the event that it isdesired to maintain them in the form of a continuous strip from whichthe single handles may be torn as they are delivered from a'dispensingdevice, it is foreseen that it may be desirable to perforate or weakenin some way the tape It be tween adjacent handle members. Suitableperforations may be provided in the tape R0 for this purpose by means ofan auxiliary knife or perfo rator blade carried by the roller 35 (seeFigs. 1 and 4) which carries the knives 39 for forming the perforationsI2.

Referring to Fig. 13 of the drawings, a motor I 60 is illustrated asdisposed behind the main plate 2I to actuate all of the driven parts ofthe machine. A main drive belt Ifil, driven by a pulley I62 on themotor, drives a pulley I65 carrying a small sprocket I54 fixed to theshaft 81 which is driven thereby. A chain I66 is driven by the smallsprocket I 64, and meshes with an idler sprocket Ili'l and sprockets onthe shafts 99, I52, I53, I31, and an idler sprocket Hi8, and a sprocketon the shaft 31. The drum 95 which carries the bail-forming heads isdriven by a sprocket I on its shaft I08 and a chain I1I which passesover an idler sprocket I12, and is driven by a sprocket I13 also fixedto the shaft I31. The shaft 26 is driven by a chain I which is drivenfrom a sprocket on the shaft 30, this shaft receiving its drivingmovement through a sprocket I16 engaged by a chain I11 which meshes witha sprocket on the shaft 31 and also drives the shaft I18. The shaft I10,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, extends through the plate 2Iand carries at its forward end a beveled gear I19 meshing with a similargear I80 affixed to the shaft 52 which carries and rotates the cam 50(see Fig. 3) which intermittently advances the reinforcing strip I4.

In the foregoing description, the method of forming a parcel handle isdescribed which comprises perforating the body member of the handle,then forminga bail strip into the shape of a staple and projecting itsends through the perforations in the handle. The apparatus illustratedfor carrying out this method includes a rotary drum carrying thebail-forming heads. It should be understood, however, that the inventionis not limited to the particular apparatus shown, but that thebail-forming means may vary in construction and may be stationary ormovable in other than a circular path. Other modifications may also beresorted to in the construction and arrangement of the several parts ofthe invention as it is herein disclosed within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. The method of forming a parcel handle comprising abody member of gummed paper tape and a bail member of flexible tapesecured thereto which comprises perforating the body member, bending thebail member to the shape of a staple, and projecting its ends throughthe perforations in the body member.

2. The method of forming a parcel handle comprising a body member ofgummed paper tape and a bail member of flexible tape secured theretowhich comprises perforating the body member, bending the bail member tothe shape of a staple, confining the bail member to such shape, andprojecting its ends through the perforations in the body member while soconfined.

3. The method of forming a parcel handle comprising a body member ofgummed paper tape and a bail member of flexible tape secured theretowhich comprises perforating the body member, bending the bail member tothe shape of a staple, confining the bail member to such shape,projecting its ends through the perforations in the body member while soconfined, bending the ends against the gummed surface of the bodymember, and then releasing the bail member from its confined position.

l. The method of forming a parcel handle having a gummed paper bodymember and a bail member formed of a flexible strip which, comprisesperforating the body member, wetting the gum thereon adjacent theperforations, then projecting the ends of the bail member through theperforations and pressing said ends against the wetted gum.

5. The method of forming a parcel handle having a gummed paper bodymember and a bail member formed of a flexible strip which compriseswetting the gum on the body member at spaced points, perforating thebody member adjacent the wetted points, placing reinforcing memberstransversely of the body member at said points, then wetting the gummedsurface again near the perforations, projecting the ends of the bailmember through the perforations and pressing said ends against thewetted gum.

6. An apparatus for forming parcel handles which comprises means formoving a continuous strip of gummed tape, means for moving a flexiblebail strip in timed relation thereto, means for severing the bail strip,and means for projecting the several ends thereof through the gummedtape during such movement.

7. In an apparatus for forming parcel handles, a forming head forreceiving and shaping a flexible strip into the shape of a staple andejecting the same, and means for passing a perforated tape over the endof said forming head whereby the ends of the staple-shaped strip will bepassed through the perforations thereof.

8. In an apparatus for forming parcel handles, a bail-forming membercomprising means for receiving a length of a flexible strip, means fordrawing said strip into said bail-forming member, and means forprojecting the ends of the strip from the forming member and through atape disposed adjacent the forming member retaining the bail.

9. An apparatus for forming parcel handles comprising means forperforating a strip of gummed tape, means for wetting the gum thereofadjacent the perforations, means for forming bail members, means forprojecting the ends of the bail .members through the perforations in thetape, and means for pressing said ends against the wetted surface as thetape and bail-forming means move in a common path.

10. In an apparatus for forming parcel handles of gummed tape withflexible tape-like bail members, means for placing reinforcing stripstransversely of a continuously moving strip of gummed tape whichcomprises means for feeding the reinforcing material intermittently,means for cutting it in short lengths, means for pressing said lengthagainst a wetted surface of the gummed tape at regular intervalscorresponding to points where the bail members are to be secured to thetape, and

means for projecting pin points through the tape and into thereinforcing strips to prevent skidding of the strips as they are appliedto the wetted gum.

11. An apparatus for forming parcel handles of gummed tape with flexiblebail members secured thereto which comprises a plurality of bail-formingheads supported in a rotatable drum, means for passing a continuousstrip of gummed tape over said drum, means for perforating, means forreinforcing and means for wetting the tape as it approaches the drum,means in the bail-forming heads for projecting the ends of the bailsformed thereby through the perforations in the tape passing over thedrum, and means for engaging and pressing said ends against the wettedgum of the tape before the tape leaves the drum.

FERD H. MEYER.

